Technology|Senate Democrats Push for a Net Neutrality Vote. Do They Have a Chance?

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Senate Democrats Push for a Net Neutrality Vote. Do They Have a Chance?

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Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, discussing net neutrality last week at a news conference on Capitol Hill. Democrats said Tuesday that they needed support from only one more Republican for the Senate to vote to restore net neutrality.CreditCreditTom Brenner/The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats announced on Tuesday that they were one supporter away from winning a vote to restore the so-called net neutrality rules that the Federal Communications Commission rolled back in December.

But even if Democrats win that vote, Democrats have a long ways to go before they are able to reinstate rules that prevent internet service providers from creating fast and slow lanes for online users. Here is a look at their difficult road ahead, and some of the motivations:

What are the Senate Democrats doing?

Senate Democrats said on Tuesday that all 49 members of their caucus had agreed to sign on to a resolution that would overturn the F.C.C. repeal of net neutrality rules. They are using a tool of the Senate, the Congressional Review Act, which requires a simple majority to overturn a recent order by a federal agency.

The Democrats also have the support of at least one Republican, Senator Susan Collins of Maine. So that leaves them searching for one more Republican to join their effort to get the necessary 51 votes.

“Given how quickly we have gotten 50, we have a real chance of succeeding,” Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, said in a statement.

If this passes, are the rules automatically reinstated?

No. The House would have to pass a similar resolution, also using the Congressional Review Act, and the chances there are slim. Representative Mike Doyle, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, is leading the effort there and has 80 Democrats on board so far. But Speaker Paul D. Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, could refuse to bring it to a vote. And 218 signatures would be needed to send it to the floor through a petition.

Finally, the president would have to sign the legislation. That, too, seems unlikely, since the White House has said it supported the F.C.C.’s vote.

When will the Senate introduce its bill?

It could be months. Lawmakers have 60 days after the F.C.C. puts its December order in the federal registry to introduce their resolution. The agency hasn’t done that yet and could delay the process for several days and even weeks.

If this is such a long shot, why are Democrats putting so much effort into it?

Many Democrats would like to turn net neutrality into a bigger political issue ahead of the 2018 midterms. The efforts to overturn the F.C.C. order are aimed to raise awareness about an issue that has broad interest, particularly among younger voters, Democratic lawmakers have said. Consumer advocacy groups like Free Press, Demand Progress and Fight for the Future, have been singling out lawmakers who have either supported the F.C.C. order or have not spoken up in favor of restoring rules.

“There will be a political price to pay for those on the wrong side of history. Momentum is on our side,” Mr. Markey has said.

What are the other efforts going on around net neutrality?

There are a few major fights underway to bring back net neutrality. On Tuesday, 22 attorneys general sued to block the F.C.C.’s repeal. The nonprofit Mozilla Foundation, the group behind Firefox web browsers, also sued the commission. More public interest groups and tech companies are also expected to take legal action.

In addition, a few lawmakers have introduced bills to bring back rules.

Correction:

An earlier version of this article, and the accompanying caption, misstated the situation of the Senate Democrats’ attempt to stop the repeal of net neutrality. They are one vote away from winning a vote to overturn the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal; they are not one vote away from bringing the matter to a vote.